Condensing apparatus



R. N. EHRHART.

CONDENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1911.

1 352,437 Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

WI TNESSBS'; Q aEN TOR. 44 AL/ 7 A; ATTORNEYS.

mural) STA'IEEEIENT ()FFICE.

RAYMOND N. EHRHART, OF EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNGIR T0 WEST-INGHOU$E ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING 00., A CORPGRATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONDENSING APPARATUS Application filed June 28, 1917.

To all 'HII/OIH/ it may concern.

Be it known that I, RAYMOND N. EHR- HART, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention inCondensing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to condensing apparatus and has for an object theproduction of new and improved means for withdrawing condensate fromcondensers.

WVhile a steam actuated ejector is employed in withdrawing condensatefrom a condenser, difiiculty is encountered due to the fact that theejector must be of sufficient capacity to remove all the condensate evenwhen the condenser is operating under conditions of maximum overload,conse quently the ejector does not receive suflicient condensate, undernormal and light load conditions of the condenser, to insure effectiveoperation of the ejector. The ratio of water to steam is so increasedunder light or even normal loads that the water is heated to aprohibitive temperature at which the ejector is rendered inoperative.

An object of my invention is to produce an ejecting apparatus forwithdrawing water of condensation from a condenser, in which means areemployed for preventing undue or objectionable heating of the water asit traverses the working passages of the ejector.

These and other objects are attained by means of apparatus embodying thefeatures herein described and illustrated in the single sheet drawingaccompanying and forming a part hereof.

The drawing is a diagrammatic sectional view of condenser apparatusembodying my invention.

My present invention consists in providing automatic means forcontrolling the operation of the ejector so as to prevent undue orprohibitive heating of the water as it traverses the working passages ofthe ejector. This is accomplished in the present embodiment of theinvention by providing means for controlling the delivery of the steamor impelling fluid to the ejector and by so adjusting the controllingmeans that the ejector will only be called into operation when there issuflicient condensate to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

Serial No. 177,557.

prevent a prohibitive rise in temperatureor, more properly, to condensethe steam delivered to the ejector as impelling fluid. In other words,the apparatus illustrated is adapted to so control the ejector that itoperates at infrequent periods and the timing of the periods ofoperation is such that the ejector while in operation will be subjectedto normal load conditions.

My invention may be employed in connection with any type of condenser,but I have diagrammatically illustrated a surface condenser 5 providedwith a condensate well 6, in which the condensate collects as it isformed and from which it is withdrawn. The condensate discharge port 7of the condenser is formed in the bottom wall of the well 6 and thecondensate is adapted to be delivered through this port to an ejector 8by means of a passage 9.

The ejector illustrated includes a divergent nozzle 10 whichcommunicates with a source of expelling fluid such as steam which isadapted to discharge into and through a mixing chamber 11 whichcommunicates with the passage 9. A convergent tube 12 communicates withthe mixing chamber and is axially alined with the nozzle 10. Theconvergent end of this tube terminates in an overflow chamber 13 whichis illustrated as in open communication with the interior of thecondenser 5 through a passage 14. A divergent tube 15 projects into thechamber 13 and is axially alined with the convergent tube 12. Thedischarge end of the tube 15 communicates with a pipe or passage 16,which is illustrated as pro vided with a non-return or check valve 17.

The delivery of steam to the nozzle 10 is controlled by means of a valve18, which is located in the steam pipe 19. This valve is in turncontrolled by a float 20, which is located within the well 6 and is soconnected to the valve 18 that it will actuate the valve only after ithas moved through a relatively wide angle. In other words, the operativeconnection between the float 20 and the valve 18 is such that the valveis opened and closed by relatively great differences in the level of thewater in the well 6. This is accomplished in the illustrated embodimentof the invention by providing, a lost motion between the float and thevalve so arranged that the valve will not open until a relatively largeamount of water has accumulated in the well 6 and then it will not closeuntil after the well is almost completely empty.

The float illustrated is mounted on an arbor 21, located within the well(5 and which projects through a suitably packed aperture in a side wallof the well. A valve engaging arm 22 is rigidly mounted on theprojecting portion of the arbor and is so arranged that itwill engagestops or collars 23 and 24 formed on the stem 25 of the valve 18. Thestops are placed relatively far apart so that the valve will remainopen, after it has been opened by the engagement of the arm 22 with thecollar 23, until substantially all of the water has been withdrawn fromthe well 6. The float actuated arm 22 will then engage the collar 24:and close the valve. Any type of valve may be employed, but it is ofcourse preferable to employ a balance valve so as to impose a minimumamount of work on the float.

lVith this arrangement of apparatus the ejector will operateperiodically and only when there is suflicient water to insure itsoperating at full capacity. Under such conditions, the water traversingthe ejector will not be heated to a prohibitive temperature andconsequently the ejector will not only be effective in withdrawingcondensate from the condenser, but it will operate with high efficiency.It will, of course, be understood that some means, such as the valve 17,must be provided to prevent a return flow of water through the tail pipe16 when the ejector is shut down.

WVhileI have described and illustrated but one embodiment of myinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges, modifications, additions and omissions may be made in theapparatus illustrated without departing from the spiritand scope of theinvention, as outlined by the appended claims.

What I claim is 1 1. Condenser apparatus comprising a condenser, a hotwell communicating with the condenser provided with a steam-actuatedcondensate ejector, a balanced valve located exteriorly of the hot wellfor controlling the steam supply to the ejector, a shaft mounted foroscillation projecting through the hot well casing into the hot well, afloat actuated lever within the hot well secured to the inner portion ofthe shaft responsive to variations in the quantity of condensate in thehot well, and a lever secured to the outer por tion of the shaft adaptedto be actuated by the said float actuated lever and having a lost motionconnection with the said valve whereby the valve is actuated by thefloat at extreme limits of its movement.

2. Condenser apparatus comprising acondenser, a hot well communicatingtherewith, a steam actuated condensate ejector arranged exterior of thesaid hot well and in communication therewith, a valve for controllingsaid ejector, and condensate-level controlled means for actuating saidvalve comprising a float within the hot well and motion communicatingmeans between the float and valve whereby the opening and closure of thevalve is responsive to the level of condensate in the hot well.

3. Condenser apparatus comprising a condenser, a hot well communicatingtherewith,

an ejector, including steam and discharge pipes, arranged exteriorly ofthe hot well and communicating therewith, a valve for the steam pipe,float means within the hot well adapted to open and close the valve,

and a check valve in the discharge pipe.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th dayof June, 1917.

RAYMOND N. EHRHART.

Witness C. V. MGGHEE.

